Inside California's Birth Defect Mystery

When a group of teenage environmental activists started a health survey of their Central Valley town, they were prepared for the usual problems plaguing the mostly Latino, mostly poor residents: Asthma, perhaps connected to diesel fumes from the thousands of trucks rolling down the freeway nearby. Cancer, perhaps from the pesticides sprayed on the vineyards and orchards all around. Obesity and diabetes, perhaps linked to the lack of local supermarkets. What they didn't expect was to knock on door after door to hear of babies born dead, or with severe birth defects. Of 25 births over 14 months, researchers discovered five serious birth defects (three of those babies died). Ever since then, the town and its supporters have been demanding answers: What is killing the babies of Kettleman City? You can read the full story here.